Gasket



April 2, 1945- l H. H. DUNKLE 2,397,597

GASKET Filed July 17, 1944 INVENTOR. H5552 HOU/vue Patented Apr. 2, 1946 UNITED STATES ,PATENT y OFFICE l GASKET Heber H. Dunkle, Raritan Township, Middlesex f County, N. J., assignor to Goetze Gasket & Packing Co., Inc., New Brunswick, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to gaskets and is concerned primarily with an all metal corrugated gasket.

At the present time there is a gasket which is l meeting with fairly widespread usage and which is intended to be improved by this invention. This gasket consists essentially of a layer of asbestos which is firmly embedded between two layers of corrugated metal. The asbestos functions as a filler between the layers of metal and one metallic layer has its inner and outer edges turned over to provide peripheral flanges which maintain the assembled relation. While certain advantages have been found to attend the use of this gasket with the asbestos ller, it has proven to be unsatisfactory under certain conditions, particularly for high temperature service and in installations where insufficient means have been provided to seal the gasket for high pressure service. Thus when the temperatureto which the gasket is subject begins to range over 950 F. the asbestos breaks down which results in a complete failure of the gasket. Moreover, when pressure or force is applied to the gasket in order to seat it, and thusseal the assembly against leakage, there is little if any flow of the metal surfaces of the gasket due to the fact that 4the force exerted is for the most part absorbed by the soft filler element.

It is now well recognized that the best sealing effects may be obtained from a metallic gasket if the metal thereof is caused to flow under pressure and thus fill the interstices and gaps of the. surfaces to be sealed. It is evident that with the asbestos filler present and pressure applied to the gasket little if any of this pressure will be eifective to cause the flow of metal which is such a desirable factor.

With the foregoing conditions in mind this inl vention has in View as its foremost objective the provision of a gasket comprising two metallic corrugated layers which are assembled in meeting or nested engagement. Those skilled in the gasket art have recognized the great advantages which would doubtlessly attach to an all metal gasket of this type if properly assembled and constructed. Accordingly, certain attempts have been made to provide an all metal corrugated gasket of this character. However the known efforts in this direction have not been entirely satisfactory due to certain insuiciencies. Y

With this condition in mind, this invention hasY in view, as a further more detailed, yet highly important object, the provision of an all metal corrugated gasket of the type above noted in whch one metallic layer is of greater radial dimension than the other so as to provide portionsextending beyond the inner and outer peripheral edges of the other layer. These portions are folded back into U shaped retaining flanges which are effective on both the inner and outer peripheries to maintain the assembled relation.

The gasket of the type with which this invention is concerned is ordinarily clamped between two surfaces which are to be sealed. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that there be symmetry and a balanced condition over the entire gasket surface. This is obtained by the flanged arrangement above described because there is exactly the same thickness of metal at the cuter periphery as there is at the inner periphery. Where this outer U shaped flange is omitted, the pressure applied to the gasket would flatten out the corrugations and a large amount of the sealing effect would be lost. It is further noted that in a gasket of this type, the presence of the flange at one periphery complements the flange on the other periphery and the two together tend to prevent dishing or distortion of the clamping members of the gasketed assembly which is a condition which would obtain if the outer ange were omitted. In a 'gasket made in accordance with the precepts of this invention, the inner and outer peripheral flanges are maintained concentric at all times.

A further object in view is the provision of an all metal corrugated gasket of the type above noted in which the layers are arranged to provide a slight clearance therebetween which results in the incorporation of a required degree of resiliency or cushioning effect into the gasket.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention such as arise in connection with carrying out the abovenoted thoughts in a practical embodiment will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention therefore comprises an all metal corrugated gasket consisting of two metallic corrugated layers of a formation defining an opening and one of which is formed with bent-overl U shaped flanges which encompass the other layer at the inner and outer peripheral edges to maintain the assembled relation.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an all metal corrugated gasket made in accordance with the precepts of this invention;

Figure 2 is a view taken at right angles to the showing of Figure 1 with a quarter of the gasket cut away and. removed to bring out the structural details thereof; and Y Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a modification, e

Before referring to the drawing, wherein like referenceVA characters denote corresponding parts,- attention` is" called to the factthat the'present1 invention is herein illustrated and described in conjunction with a gasket consisting of only two layers, as this is the minimum number possible.-`

in this type of structure. However, it is to be distinctly understood that thi'sfnumber of layers: is no limitation on the invention, as a: gasket including more than two layers may'bem'ad'e and' still accurately conform to the tenets and teachings of this invention.

Upon referring to the drawing it will be noted that the gasket is shown in its entiretyi'n Figure'l andris.l referred:` to: as such by. the-r reference characterv The: gasketG.- comprises a. -pa-ir of layers` mandi lili.. Forfthelpurpose of. thisY speci.- i'lcationgtheflayer l-fisreferred tofas the; upperv la-yer andthe-.layer Il; asthe lower layer. The mainbody portionfofeachfoi".l the. layers lr and Il; isv formed with az-:seriesl of. concentricA corrucations t2L and it lwilly bev noted. that the corrugations.- l2i' of th'evlayer Ill-arenestedv or received in:thecorru'gations- I-2 of the layer tlf. 'I-'he extent or; degree: tmivhichV thisv nesting or seating is carried out determines the;v resiliency orcushr ioningf effect. of t-hegasket;V The less seating there is; theey greater willl befthev cushioning ef.- fect. @n the.v other hand, if thef nesting. or interiitting is carriedout. toa. maximum there. Will bev but-little cushioning effect which in. some instancesmay. berdesirable.

The upper. la-yer. Il).T has anv inner. peripheral edge identied. as: i3. and.. an outer peripheral edge designa-ted.r |42 The. lower layer l-I. is. of greater radial.- dimension. than the outer layer I' seas to-T provide portions extending beyond the: edges |3- and. LIL. That, portion which ordinarily extends.inwardlyfbeyond.the 'inner peripheraL edge |.3fis turned-:back over this edge portion Ht to provide ai U. shaped. flange. lwhichstightly enclosestheinner edgeportion. L3. Likewise that portion of the bottom layer H. which. ordinarily would extend-.beyond the: outer edge Ul. isI turned back. over this. edge :portion |4- to. form: an. outer U. shapedfflange-IB.

It. will. be noted ineach. instance. that. the. outer *and inner edges.v are tightlyenclosedfby the U As explained above, a gasket made in accordance with this invention may include three or more layers. When a three layer arrangement is employed certain advantageous opportunities are oiered to adapt the gasket to certain particular uses. Thus the central or intermediate layer which might be considered as the filler may be: of.'V a hard or hardenedi metal and will takeKA the usuai corrugated4` form. Thisller will be sheathed by outer layers of a softer metal which also will be corrugated. These outer layers which clad the ller may be either of the 'same or of a di'erent metal.

For example, where a soft corrugated lead or copper gasket is required because of corrosive conditions; either' of these soft metals might, if unsupported besqueezed out. However, by using acorrug-a-ted ller of hard or hardened steel and jacketed or sheathedwith either corrugated lead or copper the gasket would be reinforced.

' Such4 a modification; is shown, in Eigure: in

which the intermediatev layer 9.. is. ci hard.. or

hardened steel while the outer layers 1 and. 8

aref-of leader. copper.

A; further: advantage. attendingv this threeply construction istied up4 with. the fact. that the metals. W-hich. are. now available for highltem.- peratureservice do. not. have. sufficient resistance to creep` ifused. in. thickness suitable;v for. fabrication into gaskets byy rollingy or. drawing, opera.- tions: which are: necessary to. form the. lower. layer of: the. corrugated.: design... By usingY a. corrugated filler.. as. above. indicated, ot thicker. and/or harder or. stier. material. the. gasket would.. be reinforced.. Thus thefouter layersimightbe made from-more easily. formed. and thinner. sheets.. and resistance to. creep. would not. he,y impaired..

Still. a further advantage-r in. favor ofthis inulti. layerv construction@ is that the. multiple layers. allow. the. fabrication of.- the gasket in almost any combination of. gasket thickness. and cornugationpractically withoutloss. of.' rigidity...

While preferred. specific embodiments. ot. the invention arehereinbefore-setA forth,.it. to. be clearly understoodthat the-invention is not tofbe limited tofthe.. exact constructions illustrated. and described becausev variousYV modcations of. these details; may be z provided. in. putting theY invention intdpractice.withinthepurview of the appended claim.-

VVlflat.` is. claimed. is:

A metallic gasket of. spongelike formation.. or thelike comprising a disc Witha centralopening and concentric corrugations.` therein, a second disc also. having concentric corrugations.- the edges ofwhich extend. around theedges ofithe former disc holding the discs in. ,assembledr re.. lation.- at. both. their innerV and outer edges,- and a. third.. disc also` having concentriccorrugations interposed. between. thev two` former discs, said gasket` characterized. in that the. corrugations. of the diferent discs: arenot in.. registering relation` providing` open areas: therebetween..

HEBER. I-I.y DUNKLE; 

